Vic Schaefer, Mississippi State land Michigan State transfer Sidney Cooks

Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Mississippi State landed former Michigan State forward Sidney Cooks in the transfer market. Cooks will have to sit out one season due to NCAA transfer rules.

STARKVILLE — There are no days off in the offseason for Vic Schaefer.

Mississippi State's head coach landed another valuable asset in the transfer market on Monday. Former Michigan State forward Sidney Cooks announced on Twitter that she is joining the Bulldogs.

Cooks, who will sit out the upcoming season due to NCAA transfer rules, averaged 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game as a sophomore Spartan. The 6-foot-4 Cooks was efficient in doing so as she only played 19.4 minutes per game and made 48.1 percent of her shots.

Cooks' last appearance in a Michigan State uniform was a 17-point performance in a loss to Notre Dame in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. She scored a career-high 21 points against Central Michigan in the first round of the tourney.

Cooks played high school basketball at St. Joseph Catholic High School in Wisconsin. She was the Associated Press Player of the Year as a senior, and she was a McDonald's All-American during that season as well. She averaged 27.6 points and 13.8 rebounds per game during her final year at St. Joseph.

Schaefer has had loads of success with transfers. Newly-departed Jordan Danberry was a pivotal player in the backcourt last year after. She previously spent two seasons at Arkansas. Anriel Howard was an All-SEC first-team player at State after being a standout for three seasons at Texas A&M. Rising junior Andra-Espinoza Hunter spent the first half of her freshman year at Connecticut before choosing to become a Bulldog. She'll be a vital piece of next season's starting rotation.

Mississippi State fans haven't even seen 6-foot-5 sophomore Promise Taylor in a maroon and white uniform yet. She was named to the SEC All-Freshman Team in 2017-18 after averaging 7.8 points and 5.4 rebounds at Ole Miss. If she has success after sitting out for a season, then there should be optimism that Cooks can do the same in 2020-21.

Contact Tyler Horka at thorka@gannett.com. Follow @tbhorka on Twitter. To read more of Tyler's work, subscribe to the Clarion Ledger today!